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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883537">Before The Crescent</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neko_ryn/pseuds/Neko_ryn'>Neko_ryn</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of The Crescent [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>ATEEZ (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Abandonment, Amputation, Attempted Kidnapping, Child Abandonment, Child Abuse, Child Labor, Child Soldiers, Drinking, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fights, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Kidnapping, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Murder, Physical Abuse, Prologue, Psychological Torture, Slavery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:31:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,759</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29883537</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neko_ryn/pseuds/Neko_ryn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Stories of The Crescent's crew before they joined.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eventual Everyone/Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tales of The Crescent [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2197131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Hongjoong</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is a sort of prologue for my series Crescent: The Treasure of the Seven Galaxies. It will be updated as more is revealed about each character in the main series. </p><p>Tw for this chapter: Minor character death.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Prince, what is your Treasure?</b>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <b>5 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mommy…” Hongjoong sobbed uncontrollably.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had sneaked away from the guards and found his way to his mother’s tomb. The funeral had been held over a week ago, but he found himself sneaking away from his duties to find her. There was no comfort in the cold stone that held her now. He didn’t really understand all that well what it meant for her to be there, but he knew she was not coming back, and it hurt him so much to simply know that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mini Hong?” A voice called from behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong turned around to find his oldest brother, Taejoong, standing at the entrance of the tomb. Clumsily, he stood up and rushed to his brother’s arms, who hugged him tight and patted his back. His oldest brother, who was only 15 years old, was the bravest and strongest person Hongjoong knew. Being in his arms made him feel safe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing alone in here, huh?” Taejoong picked him up easily, and Hongjoong wrapped his arms around him for dear life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss mommy,” Hongjoong sniffled, trying to hold back his tears. He didn’t want Taejoong to see him cry. He wanted to be brave like his brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You miss her?” Taejoong looked at the tomb and nodded. “I miss her too, so much, mini Hong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He held tighter onto Taejoong’s neck and hid his face there, trying to keep his cries in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let it all out, it’s okay to cry…” Taejoong pressed a hand to his head and carded his fingers through his hair, and Hongjoong was finally able to let all of his tears out, in the safety of his brother’s arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>9 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Prince Hongjoong, come back here right this instant!” The instructor yelled behind him as Hongjoong made a run down the aisle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t like his History and Geography class. It was tedious, and boring, and his professor was mean and strict. He was usually content with not paying attention and simply using his energy on something else, but that day the professor had confiscated his drawings and he had decided he simply didn’t want to be there anymore, so he ran.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a risky decision, because he knew his father wouldn’t like to hear about it, but at that moment he didn’t care. Adrenaline fueled him to run as fast as he could, putting in practice all he had learned from fighting with his brothers. The shouting from his professor followed him only a few meters before he had completely left him behind. He broke into a breathy laugh as he sprinted towards the garden, but was unceremoniously stopped as he crashed into something and fell on his behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ow…” he complained, sprawled on the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” Taejoong was standing in front of him, both hands on his hips as he looked at Hongjoong with mild disappointment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Class sucks,” Hongjoong muttered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Language,” Taejoong immediately reprimanded him, but helped him stand up nonetheless. “Which class did you just run away from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“History and Geography,” Hongjoong sighed, knowing fully well that he would probably be forced to return. Taejoong grimaced instead, making him laugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, okay,” he shrugged. “I can understand why you would run from that one, but you should head back. Father won’t be glad about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know…” Hongjoong sighed. “But I don’t want to be in class, I want to go sailing with you. Being here is boring.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make a deal with you,” Taejoong decided, pulling out his golden compass. “Do you see this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong’s eyes widened. His brother owned a golden compass that had been gifted to him by his father after he had completed his studies. It was his most prized possession, and Hongjoong had always gone on and on about how much he wanted one like it. His brother would sometimes let him play with it as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you can behave and study hard, I myself will give you your compass when you graduate,” Taejoong smiled wide, as Hongjoong’s eyes glistened with a sense of purpose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you promise me?” Hongjoong asked, still unable to believe what his brother was suggesting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <b>16 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Twas the night before his birthday, and, most importantly, before his last exam before he could graduate from his studies. Yunho and him were sitting on the floor of his bedroom, studying for his navigation exam in hushed voices as they pretended to be asleep. Hongjoong had aced every exam so far, but he felt restless nonetheless, because he wanted to make his brother proud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trace the best route possible between these two planets, considering the season and weather marked at the side,” Yunho instructed him, passing him a stellar map.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong took a deep breath as he began to trace the route, murmuring to himself the procedure to make sure that he didn’t miss anything important. Yunho observed him and took notes. He still had one year to graduate, but helping Hongjoong study helped him a lot as well. When Hongjoong finished tracing the route, Yunho compared it to the example problem they had been using and smiled widely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You got it!” Yunho smiled, showing them side by side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes!” Hongjoong stood up with a jump, immediately throwing himself on the ground again. He was exhausted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think you should go to sleep now,” Yunho smiled, picking up the papers and pens they had scattered around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you pass the night here? I’m nervous,” Hongjoong pouted, trying to appeal to Yunho.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I can't, they'll get mad at me,” Yunho shook his head, trying to hide his apparent blush. “But I’ll be outside your door first thing in the morning and I’ll accompany you to take the exams.” He offered instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” Hongjoong sighed. “Do you think I’ll do well?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll do amazing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning, Yunho did as promised and waited for him outside of the classroom. The exam went on for two long hours, as Hongjoong read and reread every question and checked his answers at least three times to make sure it was alright. When he finally gave it to his teacher, albeit a bit begrudgingly, he let out a relieved sigh and left the classroom. Yunho, who had been waiting for him outside, immediately extended a makeshift bouquet to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Happy birthday!” His voice broke in the middle of the expression, making a funny noise, and Yunho’s face flushed bright red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong recognized all the flowers to be from their gardens, but that didn’t matter. He noticed the scratches and small bleeding wounds from the thorns he had had to fight, and he felt warmth spread in his chest. He grabbed the flowers delicately and took in their scent, feeling himself blush slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” he smiled, giving Yunho a hug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you do?” Yunho asked, willing his heart to stay calm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think I aced it,” Hongjoong grinned widely, pulling Yunho with him so they could go have breakfast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure you did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~*~*~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day went by and soon enough dinner came and they celebrated Hongjoong’s birthday. The results of his last exam also came in, and he had passed with an almost perfect score, which meant he had officially graduated from his studies with the highest scores among his brothers. He was radiant, proud of himself from what he had achieved. But what made him the happiest, was the recognition that came from his brother, Taejoong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I made a promise,” Taejoong said after he had claimed the attention of everyone present for the dinner. “I promised my youngest brother, that if he could pass all of his studies, I would give him his very own compass when he graduated. And today, he fulfilled his part of the deal, so I will fulfill mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taejoong reached into his pocket and pulled out a black leather box, standing up and asking Hongjoong to do so as well, so they could face each other. He grabbed Hongjoong’s left hand carefully and placed the box on it, grabbing his right hand and putting it on top of the box. He held his hands there for a moment, as he dedicated some words to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m extremely proud of you, Hongjoong,” he said, and Hongjoong had to put effort into not crying. “Open it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong opened the box and found a round black box on the inside. It glistened under the lights of their dining room, and has his initials engraved in golden letters at the top. He took it out of the box and held it carefully. It was roughly the size of his palm. He opened it, and watched as the needle oscillated softly, pointing to the north.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“May it always guide you home, mini Hong.”</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>My treasure is revenge.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Wooyoung</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: Attempted kidnapping</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Oneironaut, what is your Treasure?</b>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>7 years old</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooyoung was sitting on the kitchen counter, head resting on both arms, as he watched his parents maneuver around each other to prepare supper. Cooking was an activity they always did together, especially for supper, because his mom always said that working together helped strengthen their relationship. He was still too young to cook like them, but he would sometimes help gathering the ingredients and supervising the taste. It was fun.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right now, however, his mind was occupied in something else. At school, he had just learned that his people, the Somnum, were special. His parents had always told him he was special, of course, but this was different. The teacher had explained that they had the ability to </span>
  <em>
    <span>see</span>
  </em>
  <span> time through their dreams. That they could experience the past, the present and the future when they closed their eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He kind of knew that, because his parents had mentioned it before, but what was more surprising was learning that, eventually, everyone had a dream about what they were destined to be. He had been thinking about it all day, and wondered what had been the dreams of his parents. They were together now, had they been part of each other’s dreams from the start? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ba,” he called his parent after a little while. His mother turned to look at him as well, curious. “How did you meet mom? Did you dream about her?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ohh,” they chuckled, placing the dough they had been working with aside and sitting in front of him. “What did you see in class today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We learned about dreams,” he raised his head and leaned closer. “So did you meet mom in a dream?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did!” They nodded enthusiastically. “I met her in </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> dream.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>The</span>
  </em>
  <span> dream?” He repeated frowning a little, it was a weird way to call it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes,” his parent nodded before leaning closer and whispering. “The dream that reveals your destiny.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooyoung gasped and covered his mouth, turning to look at his mom who was nodding. She looked solemn, like they were talking about something super serious and confidential. It made him want to know more. What had they dreamed? What had they been destined to do? Had they already fulfilled it? He had so many questions, but didn’t know if it would be okay to ask them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why don’t we finish dinner first and then we’ll tell you all about it?” His mom suggested, and he nodded enthusiastically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his help, they were able to finish quickly. As soon as they sat on the table, he overwhelmed them with all sorts of questions, some of which barely made any sense. They tried to answer all of them, though, finding it endearing. As it turned out, they had indeed met in their first prophetic dream.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Back when we were kids, Oniris was going through some major food shortage,” his mom explained, helping him cut his food in smaller portions. “But as it turns out, it was our destiny to fix that. An Interpreter helped us meet and then we worked with the Government to fix what was wrong.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What is an Interpe-reter?” He asked, completely having forgotten about his food. His parent pushed a bite into his mouth and reminded him to chew.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, an Interpreter is a person whose destiny is to help other people understand their dreams and their destiny.” His parent explained, feeding him another bite. “When you have your first prophecy, you will meet one.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think I’ll have one soon?” He asked, finally remembering to eat on his own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think you’re still a bit young, but who knows?” His mother shrugged. “It’ll come when the time is right.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He hoped the time would be right soon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>12 years old</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was his first time visiting the dock. His parents had decided to take him with them, as they were going to pick up a friend who was returning to Oniris. The government allowed very little people into the planet, and the Somnum were always advised to not leave unless it was absolutely necessary. They were a small race, with a small natality rate, and they were often hunted by others for their abilities. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooyoung didn’t know it yet, but all Somnum had the potential to develop their ability beyond the visions of their destiny. Most didn’t, because being an Interpreter was hard unless you were called by destiny to do it, but they could still be forced to develop it if captured by someone else. Because of that, their government protected them a lot, and only allowed very few visitors into the planet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Stay here baby, we’ll be right back.” His mother said, patting his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded with a strained smile, a little embarrassed that his mother would call him baby in public. His parents walked away and he watched, with mouth agape, a ship come into the dock. It landed softly, as if it was weightless, and he let out an appreciative sigh. He wished he could travel in one of those one day, see the rest of the Universe, even though he knew that was unlikely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hello, kid.” A voice startled him and he turned around to find an older man standing next to him. He was holding a suitcase. “Are you from here? Do you perhaps know who I can ask where my ship is?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I…” He turned to look around. His parents were nowhere to be found and the docks had filled with people from the newly arrived ship. “I don’t…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, I don’t want to miss my ship.” The man insisted, tapping his foot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He swallowed and nodded. His parents would probably be back soon, but if he was quick and guided the man to the Information Center then maybe he could be back soon and pretend he hadn’t left at all. He began walking and heard the man follow him right behind. The Information Center wasn’t that far away, so it was just a quick trip. Still, he felt something wrong in his gut.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The suitcase hit the floor but he wasn’t quick enough to turn around, and he fell a hand wrap around his mouth as something pressed behind his back. The scream he let out was lost in the hand. He made an attempt to move, but whatever was behind him pressed further and stopped him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t make this difficult, let’s just get to the ship, alright?” The man whispered. “Don’t cry, don’t yell, simply continue walking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded and began walking once the hand left his mouth. He was terrified. He wanted to run and go back to his parents, but he was so scared of dying. He didn’t want to get taken away and used to do evil things, he simply wanted to live his life as a Somnum and fulfill his destiny one day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“S-Sir…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shut up,” the man bit back. “Not one word, do you hear me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He nodded again and choked back a sob. He wished he knew what was pressing against his back. If it was a knife, he still had a chance to run away, but if it was a gun, then there was nothing he could do. So he prayed for a miracle, hoping that maybe he was in someone’s vision, that someone would rescue him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they approached the security point in front of the ship the man was supposed to board, he grabbed his hand and pretended to be his father. He detested it, and wanted to cry, but held back because of the fear. They didn’t make it past the security point before an alarm started blaring. Putting all of the guards there on edge, as they pulled out their guns and pointed at the man. He couldn’t help the sob that escaped his lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“UNAUTHORIZED DEPARTURE.” Blared the alarm. The man let go of his hand to hold his own weapon up, trying to decide where to point it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kid!” A security guard yelled at him and Wooyoung sprinted towards her, hiding behind her back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Wooyoung closed his eyes when he saw another guard tackle the man from behind and pin him to the ground. All the other guards approached quickly and restrained him. He turned around when he heard the voices of his parents, and ran towards them. His parent caught him mid run and held him tight; his mother joined the hug right after.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so sorry!” He immediately apologized, crying into his parent’s shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“My love,” his mother whispered. “I’m never leaving you alone again, we were so scared.” She pulled him away and patted him to make sure he was all in one piece.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we go home?” Wooyoung hiccupped, trying to keep himself from falling into his mother’s arms again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, let’s go home.” His parent held his hand tightly and stood up, guiding them back home.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>My treasure is my destiny.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Yeosang</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: drinking, implied cheating, abandonment.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Space Artist, what is your Treasure?</b>
  </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>7 years old</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeosang held tightly onto his father’s head as the man carried them both to the top of the house. All of the buildings in their town extended up into the sky and his room was at the top of their house, so that he could watch the stars. His father zoomed into the room and then dropped him on his bed, making him laugh as he squirmed to get back up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s time to sleep, little bug,” his father smiled, trying to push him back on the bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Not yet!” He dodged his father’s arms and jumped off the bed. “And I’m not a bug!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, alright.” His father chuckled, placating him. “Why don’t you want to sleep yet?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to show you the progress of my maps!” He ran towards the desk and climbed over his chair. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His mother always complained it was still very high for him, but his father had insisted on providing him with an environment that would nurture him. Yeosang didn’t know that, but he liked to think that he looked like his dad when he was working on his maps of the sky, retracing all the trips and journeys his father had been in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His father was a Space Artist belonging to the Empire’s fleet. He was the best in all of Tebos, and was often away from the planet in important government missions. It was a bit hard to see him so little, but he admired his dad so much that it didn’t matter, because he knew he wanted to become like him once he grew up. He wanted to know the universe and all that it entailed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, let’s see your maps,” his father agreed, joining him at the desk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was covered in all sorts of papers, because he was still too young to handle the technology appropriate to map making. His traces were still a little clumsy, but he put so much effort and dedication to his maps that they were genuinely well done. His father let him know as much, tracing the lines along with him and asking him about the details of the map. They were finely crafted, and his chest swelled with pride when his father praised him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you already working on a new one?” His father asked, after carefully pointing out some details that could be improved, which he immediately took note of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes!” Yeosang was quick to nod. “Come see!” He got off his chair and grabbed his father by the hand, guiding him towards the telescope out in the small balcony.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you mapping out this time?” His father asked, crouching down so he could see through the telescope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our neighborhood,” he explained, picking up the rough drafts from a little table next to the telescope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? Why’s that?” His father asked, looking away from the telescope.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to give it to you, so you always remember us,” he answered, shyly. It had meant to be a secret, because he hadn’t finished yet, but he was very excited to let his father know. His father smiled, and brought him into a hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, little bug.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>~*~*~</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can you not leave?!” The yelling woke him up. He stayed frozen for a few seconds, unconsciously trying to hear better.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honey, you know I have to work,” his father said. His voice was lower and calmer, and a bit more difficult to hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t care!” His mother yelled once again. “Stop leaving! You’re never here for me or your son, how do you think we feel?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honey, come on…” His father insisted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t- touch me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabbed his pillow and covered his head, hoping that it would make their voices go away. His mother always took his father’s trips badly, and while he didn’t like them either, it broke his heart a lot more to see his mother suffering like that. He just hoped to be able to help her the next morning, which was always the most difficult part.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>12 years old</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door opened and he raced down the stairs, stopping short when Yeosang saw his parents standing in front of each other at the door. The air around them was tense, but they hadn’t spotted him yet, so he sat down and stayed silent. With the passing of the years, his father had been coming home less and less, and it was a rare occasion to see him at the threshold. He wanted to run and welcome him, but it didn’t seem like the right moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have you been drinking again?” His father asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did you enjoy pretending that your trip was going to last longer?” She asked back, showing him the bottle she was holding as an answer to his question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You said you would stop drinking,” his father pushed through her and put his travel suitcase on the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you said you loved me,” she pointed out, taking another gulp from her bottle. “But then I heard from the neighbors that you were sleeping over at… what’s her name? Anne Something?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t do this…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t do what?” She huffed. “Ruin our marriage? I think it’s been dead for a few years.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t say that, you know I love you,” his father shook his head, although he looked more fed up than pleading.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You love our son,” she stated. “That’s why you keep coming back, for him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want from me?” His father asked, at the brink of his patience.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want you to love me,” his mother hiccuped. “I want you to be with us, like a real family. If you can’t do that, then leave.” She pointed at the door with the bottle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to take him with me,” his father said after a moment of silence, leaning down to pick up his suitcase and looking up at the stairs. He had known about Yeosang’s presence the whole time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s my son! You can’t take him!” His mother immediately yelled, standing on his way to the stairs, pushing him away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s my son too,” he spat, and looked back at him. “Let’s go.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His heart stopped beating for a moment. His father was in front of him, waiting for him to stand up and follow him out the house. His mother was looking at him with pleading eyes, asking him not to go. He didn’t know what to choose. He loved both of them, and he missed his father, but he couldn’t stand the suffering in his mother’s eyes. His father seemed to know this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door closed behind his father and that was the last time Yeosang heard of him.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <em>
    <strong>My treasure is freedom.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Jongho</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TW: Child labor, child abuse.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <b>Shipwright, what is your Treasure?</b>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>7 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongho stood straight, with his back pressed to the wall, under the watchful eyes of the Headmaster. There was a couple sitting in front of him, staring him down like he was some sort of product. He probably was going to become one. Technically, he was there for an interview with the people that were interested in adopting him, but he knew better than that. He had seen it and heard about it so many times before. He knew what was going to happen to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jongho is a very good kid,” the headmaster explained. “He’s a bit short for his age, but he’s quite hardworking and obedient. He’s also quite good in his classes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He certainly seems like a good kid," the woman smiled, pleased. "What do you think?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned towards the man, who was staring at him so intently that he couldn't help but feel a little bit of fear. Life at the orphanage wasn't great, but he was certain that he didn't want to leave with that couple. He didn't think there was anything he could do about it though, as the orphanage didn't have very high standards for the future parents. There were so many orphaned kids all over Moruta that it wasn't surprising at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I agree." The man nodded. "I think he'll be a good addition to our family."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once the interview finished, he accompanied the Headmaster and the couple outside to their car. Once they were gone, the Headmaster turned to him with a smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. He didn’t like what that smile meant for him. He didn’t want to leave the orphanage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should go pack your things,” the Headmaster instructed, giving him a soft push towards the inside of the building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He packed as slowly as he could, as if it could delay his departure. Sunwoo, his best friend, observed him with pensive eyes. He had not said anything about leaving, but it wasn’t necessary. Everyone knew that packing your bags meant you were leaving. He wondered if Sunwoo would resent him for it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think they’ll be good?” Sunwoo asked after a moment of silence. He stopped folding his clothes for a moment and looked at his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” he admitted. Jongho knew Sunwoo was worried for him, and wanted to give him some consolation, but he also didn’t want to lie. He didn’t have a good feeling about that couple. “I hope so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sunwoo nodded, because he didn’t know what else to reply. He went back to his suitcase and finished folding all of his clothes. He didn’t have many, only the ones that had been given to him by the orphanage. Other than that, he had a couple of storybooks he still struggled to read properly, a very worn out plushie that was supposed to be a dog, and a toothbrush.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think we’ll see each other again?” Sunwoo’s voice was hushed, like he hadn’t actually meant to ask that question. He stopped with the plushie in his hands and turned to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course,” he said without hesitation. He handed the plushie to Sunwoo. “You can keep it until we meet again, it’s a promise.” Sunwoo grabbed it and nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t actually know if he would be able to fulfill that promise, but the least he could do was give Sunwoo one last good memory. He turned to his suitcase and put the toothbrush in before closing it. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>13 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wake up already!” A man yelled into the room as he turned on the lights before leaving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jongho groaned into his pillow and sat up, still with his eyes closed. He heard several other boys groan around him as they too woke up. There was no need to look at the clock hung over the door, it was probably around 5 am, which meant the start of another day of work. He threw his legs over the edge of the bed and used the wooden ladder as support to get off. He needed to get changed and go eat breakfast before their boss got angry and left them without food.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The floor was cold under his bare feet, but it helped him wake up faster as he made his way to the shared wardrobe and grabbed his uniform. Everyone was mostly silent as they went about getting ready, probably much too tired to do anything more. He finished quickly and left the room, heading down the hall to get his food serving. Life was easier when he tried to cooperate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Six years had passed since his adoption, and his hunch had not been wrong back then. The couple already had several other adopted kids, his “brothers”, who lived along with him in a sort of garage house. Despite how much they had to work, it wasn’t actually too bad (or at least, he had convinced himself it wasn’t). They each had their own beds, clothes and three meals a day which were more plentiful than what the orphanage had been able to provide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still thought a lot about the orphanage, but he was no longer sure it would’ve been better to stay there. The punishments for misbehavior were just as bad, and he had learned that the hard way. At the very least, they were allowed a small salary after the costs of their housing had been deducted, and he saved it all zealously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat on the table and engulfed his breakfast quickly. It really wasn’t that bad. He was one of the preferred children because he was quiet and worked hard, although he simply did so because he wanted to survive. It had its benefits though, as he had been chosen the previous week to be a shipwright apprentice, and not everyone had that right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he worked hard, he would become an excellent shipwright by the time he was of age and able to leave the house. If he was patient, quiet and worked hard, he would be able to leave and make a life of his own, figure out who he was. Until then, Jongho would continue telling himself it wasn’t all that bad, and that he would make it through.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>
    <em>I don't have a treasure.</em>
  </strong>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Yunho</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>CW: Kidnapping, Slavery, Child Labor, Child Abuse.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <strong>Soldier, what is your Treasure?</strong>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <b>8 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Yunho wasn’t alone in the darkness. He could hear the quiet cries of the other children, the whispered consolations of the parents, and the gentle snoring of the lonely adults who had managed to find rest in the chaos. He had been taken away from his village’s market while running errands for his mother. No one had expected to be raided that day, and there had been no one to help them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had fought with teeth and nails, trying his best to escape and go back to his home, but in the end he had lost. Now he was alone and lost. He had cried a bit at the beginning, but the punch to his face had silenced him for good, and now he didn’t dare make another sound for fear their kidnappers would hurt him again. Yunho had to try to stay alive and figure out the way back home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought of his mother waiting for him made him feel devastated. He wanted to return to the safety of her arms and pretend like this had only been a nightmare. However, he knew better than that. He knew he was weak and powerless, and he was scared and in pain. He wished he could have seen his mother at least one more time before being taken away.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>10 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wake up and get moving!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The handler yelled into the hold, waking them all up. Yunho sat up with difficulty and stretched his arms, feeling them crack back into place. Other young boys rose up around him and did much of the same. None of them were the people he had originally been captured with. A lot of them had been sold or traded, a few had died after a while. He had been turned into a powder monkey and had managed to survive by sheer willpower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all slept in the hold with the rest of the cargo, on mere blankets that barely kept them warm at night. They weren’t well fed, and he could feel his own bones showing through his skin, but he was alive. His work consisted of assisting the rest of the crew, giving maintenance to the ship and keeping the deck clean. He worked diligently and quietly, hoping to maybe be promoted one day, or just finding the chance to run away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re on top duty today,” one of the boys told him, and Yunho nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He liked being up there because it was usually quiet and lonely, and no one bothered him. Doing maintenance on the masts was also simple, even though he found it quite pointless, because the ships had no actual use for the sails. Still, it gave him an excuse to be alone, which was difficult when sailing on a ship in the middle of space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The day went by quickly as he went from top to top doing maintenance on the masts. It was a bit hard to move around when he barely had strength to carry his own body, but he never complained. Complaints only meant punishment. He took a moment to regain his strength when he reached the next top and stood there with his hands propped up on his knees. Yunho turned to look at the emptiness for a moment and frowned when he realized it wasn’t empty at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>From the neighboring ship, three grappling hooks shot towards them and perforated the ship. He held onto the mast as the ship began to be pulled in and rocked out of balance. He heard yelling and cursing from the dock, and decided to lay flat to avoid being seen. There was fear and confusion pumping through his veins. The ship he was in was bad enough, but what if the crew that was trying to capture them was even worse?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Army from the Kim Empire, surrender immediately!” A messenger from the other ship yelled through a megaphone once the ships were close enough for their atmospheres to merge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fear became hope. And then a shot rang through the silence and got the messenger on the shoulder. A fight immediately broke out on the deck, with the soldiers invading the ship easily. Yunho pressed himself flat on the top and hoped no one would see him, but he was scared for his life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Empire’s Army completely ravaged the ship, successfully putting under all of the crew. During the whole exchange, he stayed put, hoping a stray bullet wouldn’t get to him. When the things quieted down, he sat up and raised his hands in surrender, trying to signal that he wasn’t a threat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that a kid?” He heard a voice ask in disbelief. When one of the soldiers helped him down, he knew he would be okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~*~*~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were taken to a refuge in the Empire’s Homeplanet. He was able to get a proper meal, as well as a shower and good night of rest for the first time in the two years since he had been kidnapped. His body ached, but he was alive and felt nothing but determination. Yunho hadn’t felt so much hope in a long while, and although there was a slight fear of disappointment, he knew he could get through it if he had survived two years aboard that ship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The doors to the refuge opened and a soldier walked in. He cleared his throat as a way to gather their attention, and they all turned to look at him. After him walked in the most imposing person he had ever seen before. He was wearing a military uniform as well, but his had all sorts of condecorations and details. Next to him stood a boy around his age, he had a solemn expression and was also wearing quite expensive looking clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Attention, please,” the soldier called. “His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Yunseo of the Kim Empire, and His Royal Highness, Prince Hongjoong of the Kim Empire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” the Emperor spoke. “I am aware that you’re going through difficult times, and I am very sorry that you had to go through such a situation. We are doing our best to try to contact your families and homelands, but for now, you’re invited to stay at the Homeplanet and make a life here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Noise filled the room in a mix of questions and appreciation. He was in stunned silence. There was a chance for him to go back home to his mother. He locked eyes with the Prince, who had been looking at him all that time. The Prince pulled slightly on his father’s sleeve and whispered to him before making his way towards him. He was suddenly very aware of the pitiful state he was in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Prince didn’t seem to mind as he walked and came to a stand right in front of him. They were roughly the same age, but he was still a little bit taller than the Prince even in his underfed state. The Prince was wearing pristine clean clothes, and he felt mediocre standing in front of him like that. He seemed to be the only one thinking like that, though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to be my friend?” The Prince extended his hand. Yunho hesitated for a second, feeling unfit, but the Prince encouraged him with a smile, and he took it.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>12 years old</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Hongjoong stood by his side as he cried in front of the casket. They had finally found his mother, but they had been too late, and Yunho hadn’t been able to say goodbye. In those two years, the Imperial Family had taken him in and taken care of him, providing him with all he could ever wish for and even letting him train next to Hongjoong. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had taken forever to find his mother, because he came from a planet that wasn’t part of the Kim Empire. Still, they had fulfilled their promise, and he had no one to blame for how things had turned out. He felt Hongjoong’s arms wrap around his shoulders, offering him some comfort while also prompting him to step away from the casket. It was time for his mother to be buried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had promised him the most beautiful burial for her, and they had not lied. They buried her in the Castle’s gardens, where she would be surrounded by the flowers she had loved so much during her life. At least he was able to give her that last gift. However, his sorrow was not for his mother alone. Yunho was afraid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Empire had promised to take care of them until they found out where they came from. They had found his mother, so they weren’t obliged to continue taking care of him anymore. However, he didn’t have anywhere to go, and he didn’t want to part ways with Hongjoong. He had become his everything in those two years since the rescue, rescuing him from his own self. Yunho didn’t think he could imagine his life without the Prince. Unconsciously, he held tight to Hongjoong’s sleeve, fearing that the Prince would slip away from his grasp and leave him behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s wrong?” Of course, Hongjoong noticed it, always too attentive.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What will happen to me?” He asked, voice wavering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing.” Hongjoong pulled his hand away from his shirt and grabbed his hand instead, squeezing it tightly. “You’re part of us now, aren’t you?” He smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded, and then began crying harder, causing Hongjoong to panic. Yunho allowed himself to be comforted this last time, because from then on, he swore to protect Hongjoong even if it cost him his own life.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <em>
    <strong>My treasure is my Prince.</strong>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you enjoyed this work, remember to leave a comment and give kudos, it keeps me going! And don’t hesitate to talk to me through my social media! I love making friends!<br/><a href="http://not-majestic-bluenicorn.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a><br/><a href="http://www.twitter.com/soft_bluenicorn">Twitter</a><br/><a href="https://ko-fi.com/soft_bluenicorn">Ko-fi</a><br/><a href="http://curiouscat.me/soft_bluenicorn">CuriousCat</a><br/></p></blockquote></div></div>
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